Abstract
<jats:p>Gastrointestinal (GI) cancers can present with many dietetic challenges, with 3–11% of new diagnoses involving the GI tract. Nutritional problems can be further exacerbated by treatment interventions such as surgery, radiotherapy and systemic anti‐cancer treatment. Nutritional intervention can involve dietary counselling and nutrition support at all stages of the treatment pathway, including end‐of‐life care. This chapter discusses cancer of the GI tract apart from hepatocellular carcinoma. In practice, assessment of nutritional status incorporates a combination of factors. It includes anthropometric assessment, biochemical assessment, clinical assessment and dietary assessment. Malnutrition in cancer patients is multifactorial and is caused by a range of physiological and mechanical problems, especially in patients with GI malignancies. Some patients may tolerate normal foods after stenting; others may only tolerate liquids and very moist diets.</jats:p>